Sean Burch

Sean Burch (born June 18, 1977) is an American explorer, leadership performance specialist, and filmmaker. He is author of the book, Hyperfitness: 12 Weeks to Reaching Your Inner Everest and Getting into the Best Shape of Your Life (Penguin Random House).^[1] He holds 8 World Records within fitness and adventure,^[2]^[3]^[4] and was winner of National Geographic Channel’s Ultimate Survival Alaska TV show.^[5]^[6]^[7] Burch is the creator and founder of Hyperfitness, a wellness program. He was named Goodwill Ambassador to Nepal by their country's government.^[8]^[9]^[10] He resides within the Washington DC area.

Filmmaking career[]

Burch began filming his expeditions in 2003 on Mount Everest as a way to record his solo expeditions in remote regions around the world. His documentary film, The Icefall Doctor on the original Icefall Doctor of the Khumbu Icefall on Mount Everest completed post-production in late 2020. Burch serves as a producer, director, and cinematographer. Sean Burch - IMDb

Ascents and Expeditions of Note[]

2000: Wrangell–St. Elias National Park, Alaska, First Ascents (3) of previously unclimbed mountain peaks
2001: Shishapangma, Tibet, reached summit with Dan Mazur
2002: Aconcagua, Argentina fastest American Ascent
2002: East Greenland First Ascents (14) in Gronau Nunatakker region^[11]
2003: Mount Everest, Nepal^[12]^[13]
2004: North Pole Marathon, first place^[14]
2005: Mount Kilimanjaro, summit in 5 hours, 28 minutes and 48 seconds^[15]
2006: First ascents (63) of Mountain Peaks in 23 days, solo, Tibet^[16]
2009: Winter Ascent of Mount Fuji, Japan^[17]^[18]
2010: Crossed Nepal via Himalaya Range from India Border to Tibet Border^[19]^[20]^[21]^[22]
2014: First Ascents (23) of Previously Unclimbed Mountains, solo, in Mongolia^[23]^[24]
2016: First Ascents (31) in 21 days, solo, Nepal^[25]^[26]^[27]^[28]

Photojournalism and videography[]

(2003) USA Today "Mount Everest Climber Returns Somewhat Intact"
(2005) Boston Sunday Globe "Fitness Buff Reaches New Heights in a Hurry"
(2010) Reuters, "Upper Dolpa"^[29]
(2010) Associated Press, "Tibet Border at Humla", Nepal^[30]
(2010) BBC ^[31]
(2010) Experience Life Magazine^[32]
(2011) Outside Magazine "It Keeps You Running"^[33]
(2011) Men's Running U.K. "On Top of the World"
(2011) Men's Fitness "MF Back Story, Sean Burch"
(2011) Virginia Living Magazine ^[34]
(2012) Library of AP Photographs^[35]
(2014) The Virginian-Pilot^[36]
(2016) CNN^[37]
(2016) Deccan Herald^[38]
(2017) WTOP^[39]
(2019) Virginia Living Magazine ^[40]

Philanthropy[]

Burch works with charities, organizations, and campaigns supporting environmental rights, wilderness preservation, cancer prevention, and health and community development within impoverished and remote areas of human habitation in Nepal. He has collaborated and partnered with The Nepal Trust, the World Wildlife Fund, Love Hope Strength Foundation, ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation, Fujisan Club of Japan, No Kid Hungry and the Himalayan Rescue Association. He has given presentations on global warming for organizations including The Explorers Club. Burch is an on-going Partner with the National Forest Foundation, PHIT America, and America Nepal Society.

Awards[]

U.S. Goodwill Ambassador to Nepal by Nepal Government^[41]
Joint House Resolution #218 - Virginia State Assembly Honoring 1st Virginian to Summit Mount Everest^[42]
Commendation – Virginia House of Delegates Honoring World Record Ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro
Mongolian National Mountaineering Federation Distinguished Achievement - record most 1st Ascents in Mongolia
Brand Personality of the Year – Asia Pacific Brands Foundation^[43]
"Year’s Best” Nomination – National Geographic Adventure
The Record Book, "This Year's Greatest Feat" - Men's Journal
Adventure Athlete of the Year - Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine
Gold ADDY Award - Photographer, Roanoke College Magazine Cover
Gold Medal from King of Nepal for solo summit of Mount Everest

References[]

^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ [1]. WTOP
^ [2]. CBS
^ Craig Glenday (April 29, 2008). Guinness World Records 2008. Bantam Books. pp. 173–. ISBN 978-0-553-58995-5.
^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2013/12/12/sean-burch-on-why-hes-battling-the-wild-in-ultimate-survival-alaska-for-no-cash-prize/
^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2013/12/17/local-athlete-sean-burch-tackles-ultimate-survival-alaska/
^ https://www.adn.com/film-tv/article/ultimate-survival-alaska-concludes-race-mt-augustine/2014/03/10/
^ "Sean Burch, Nepal Goodwill Ambassador". Explorers Web
^ Outside Magazine, February 2011 "It Keeps You Running" Archived February 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
^ Goodwill Ambassador to Nepal, Explorers Web
^ Burch Interview, Everest, "Forgoing supplemental oxygen makes task even more daunting". USA Today.
^ Mount Everest Summit Reached, Mt Everest Government Board Archived March 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
^ Elliot in the Morning, DC101 Radio Program
^ North Pole Marathon, Runner's World Magazine Archived October 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
^ Mt. Kilimanjaro Speed Ascent, National Geographic Radio
^ 63 1st Ascent Mountain Peaks in Tibet, National Geographic Adventure Magazine
^ Mt. Fuji Ascent, National Geographic Radio Archived December 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
^ Mt. Fuji Winter Ascent, Honolulu Advertiser Newspaper
^ BBC, October 25, 2010 "Running man's record-breaking race across Nepal"
^ Associated Press. “Adventure Hikes the Himalaya in 49 Days”. NBC News. February 17, 2011 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41651569
^ Great Himalaya Trail World Record Expedition, Interview 3, National Geographic Radio Archived March 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
^ https://www.nepaltrust.org/the-great-himalayan-trail-record-broken-49-days-6-hours-8-minutes/
^ Explorers Web, December 23, 2014
^ “To The End of the World with Sean Burch, an Extreme Mountaineer”. WTOP. December 24, 2014 [3]
^ Mountain Climber Sets World Record in Nepal
^ American Explorer Sets New Official Record for Most 1ST Ascents
^ https://www.deccanherald.com/content/581210/american-explorer-sets-official-record.html
^ https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/american-explorer-sets-new-official-record-of-most-1st-ascents-116111500894_1.html
^ Reuters Archived February 21, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
^ Associated Press
^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11625219
^ [4]
^ https://www.outsideonline.com/1909341/it-keeps-you-running
^ http://www.virginialiving.com/travel/pain-for-happiness/
^ Associated Press Image Library
^ https://www.pilotonline.com/inside-business/article_e87184f7-8e59-53b4-94e4-b6af5dbd9dc9.html
^ [5]
^ https://www.deccanherald.com/content/581210/american-explorer-sets-official-record.html
^ https://wtop.com/other-sports/2017/01/adventurer-sean-burch-looks-to-leave-legacy-of-climate-change-awareness/
^ [6]
^ https://www.explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?id=19747
^ https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?041+sum+HJ218&041+sum+HJ218
^ https://www.thebrandlaureate.com/?s=sean+burch

Men's Fitness, April 2011, https://web.archive.org/web/20101223112313/http://www.mensfitnessmagazine.com.au/TheEndBit/tabid/1556/language/en-US/Default.aspx
Explore's Web, October 11, 2010, http://www.explorersweb.com/world/news.php?id=19707
Mt. Fuji Winter Ascent, Mens Running Magazine UK^{[dead link]}
Interview, Mt. Everest, #2, CNN
Great Himalaya Trail World Record Expedition, Interview 2, National Geographic Radio
Great Himalaya Trail World Record Expedition, Interview 1, National Geographic Radio

External links[]

[1] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[2] [1]. WTOP

[3] [2]. CBS

[Glenday2008-4] Craig Glenday (April 29, 2008). Guinness World Records 2008. Bantam Books. pp. 173–. ISBN 978-0-553-58995-5.

[5] ttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2013/12/12/sean-burch-on-why-hes-battling-the-wild-in-ultimate-survival-alaska-for-no-cash-prize/

[6] ttps://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2013/12/17/local-athlete-sean-burch-tackles-ultimate-survival-alaska/

[7] ttps://www.adn.com/film-tv/article/ultimate-survival-alaska-concludes-race-mt-augustine/2014/03/10/

[8] "Sean Burch, Nepal Goodwill Ambassador". Explorers Web

[9] Outside Magazine, February 2011 "It Keeps You Running" Archived February 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.

[10] Goodwill Ambassador to Nepal, Explorers Web

[11] Burch Interview, Everest, "Forgoing supplemental oxygen makes task even more daunting". USA Today.

[12] Mount Everest Summit Reached, Mt Everest Government Board Archived March 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine

[13] Elliot in the Morning, DC101 Radio Program

[14] North Pole Marathon, Runner's World Magazine Archived October 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

[15] Mt. Kilimanjaro Speed Ascent, National Geographic Radio

[16] 63 1st Ascent Mountain Peaks in Tibet, National Geographic Adventure Magazine

[17] Mt. Fuji Ascent, National Geographic Radio Archived December 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

[18] Mt. Fuji Winter Ascent, Honolulu Advertiser Newspaper

[19] BBC, October 25, 2010 "Running man's record-breaking race across Nepal"

[20] Associated Press. “Adventure Hikes the Himalaya in 49 Days”. NBC News. February 17, 2011 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41651569

[21] Great Himalaya Trail World Record Expedition, Interview 3, National Geographic Radio Archived March 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

[22] ttps://www.nepaltrust.org/the-great-himalayan-trail-record-broken-49-days-6-hours-8-minutes/

[23] Explorers Web, December 23, 2014

[24] “To The End of the World with Sean Burch, an Extreme Mountaineer”. WTOP. December 24, 2014 [3]

[25] Mountain Climber Sets World Record in Nepal

[26] American Explorer Sets New Official Record for Most 1ST Ascents

[27] ttps://www.deccanherald.com/content/581210/american-explorer-sets-official-record.html

[28] ttps://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/american-explorer-sets-new-official-record-of-most-1st-ascents-116111500894_1.html

[29] Reuters Archived February 21, 2014, at the Wayback Machine

[30] Associated Press

[31] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11625219

[32] [4]

[33] ttps://www.outsideonline.com/1909341/it-keeps-you-running

[34] ttp://www.virginialiving.com/travel/pain-for-happiness/

[35] Associated Press Image Library

[36] ttps://www.pilotonline.com/inside-business/article_e87184f7-8e59-53b4-94e4-b6af5dbd9dc9.html

[37] [5]

[38] ttps://www.deccanherald.com/content/581210/american-explorer-sets-official-record.html

[39] ttps://wtop.com/other-sports/2017/01/adventurer-sean-burch-looks-to-leave-legacy-of-climate-change-awareness/

[40] [6]

[41] ttps://www.explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?id=19747

[42] ttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?041+sum+HJ218&041+sum+HJ218

[43] ttps://www.thebrandlaureate.com/?s=sean+burch

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